The Traitor (Part I)
Much to the dismay of an cargo ship captain, an old tanker plunges head on into the side of his ship. On the attacking ship, a wall is cut down by the lasers of Cobra troops so that they can board the cargo ship and steal barrels labeled Dylcon 98. Tomax and Xamot are ordered by Cobra Commander to seal the perimeter, so they take to the sky in Cobra Trubble Bubbles, however, the Joes attack. As a Mauler rolls out of a warehouse, Duke tells Dusty that they now get to find out if the new armor can withstand Cobra's attacks. Bombs from a Rattler strike Duke and Dusty's Mauler and Cobra Commander laughs and boasts about the superiority of Cobra's firepower. But the Mauler survives, and it rolls forward with Gung-Ho in an Armadillo and another Mauler to push back Cobra's forces. Cobra Commander climbs down a ladder and escapes from the old tanker via a Cobra Hydrofoil. Xamot lands his Trubble Bubble on the Hydrofoil after Tomax lets go of his feet and walks out of the way. Pounding the controls of his Hydrofoil, Cobra Commander demands to know how the Joes were able to deflect Cobra's laser. Tomax and Xamot can only assume that the Joes have concocted an armor treatment, and Cobra leader's orders the Crimson Guard Commanders to obtain the formula "at any or all cost." As Grunt and Roadblock help lead the Cobra prisoners away, Duke tells Dusty that only the paperwork is left. In order to go home and help take care of his mother, Dusty then asks Duke for some time off, but before Dusty can finish his request, Duke cuts him off and asks, "Why didn't you tell me that, kid?" Placing a hand on Dusty's shoulder, Duke adds, "Go home and take care of her. That's an order. And take as much time as you need." Dusty thanks Duke and drives up to his mother's home. Entering the house, Dusty greets his mother, hugs her, and asks how she is doing. She coughs several times and says her asthma is bothering her only slightly. A housekeeper enters the room and she tells Dusty that his mother makes her keep a scrapbook of all of his adventures. Dusty happily says hello to Ms. Vasquez, who also tells that he is quite a hero. The ever-humble Dusty explains that he is simply a part of a team that works together. There is knock at the door and Dusty opens the door to find Mr. Smiler, a creditor who fussily tells Dusty that since he heard that Dusty was back in town, he has come to remind him that he still owes money for the medication and therapy. Ms. Vasquez tries to calm Dusty's mom, Gladys, but as Dusty asks Mr. Smiler to give his mother more time, she stands up and tells Mr. Smiler that she is on her feet. However, she faints and Dusty quickly carries his mother to a bed and then marches out, grabs Mr. Smiler by the shirt, cocks a fist back and asks the creditor why he shouldn't "clean his clock." Raising his hands in defense, Mr. Smiler tells Dusty that he can help him. Two admirers of the Joes entered his office and offered to help him out. Dusty tosses the creditor back and visits the rendezvous point mentioned by Mr. Smiler, the Stumble Inn. As Dusty waits for the Joe admirers to enter the bar, a waitress asks if he would like anything to drink. Dusty stumbles out that he is just waiting for someone, and the waitress winks at Dusty and tells him, "Well, if she doesn't show up, let me know, handsome." Suddenly, Tomax and Xamot, wearing business suits, approach Dusty and say hello. Dusty recognizes them and states that they are with Extensive Enterprises. Tomax and Xamot then offer Dusty a proposition in which Extensive Enterprises will pay for all of the medical bills for Dusty's mother in exchange for information of the new armor treatment. After slipping a business card into his pocket, Tomax and his brother Xamot are kicked out of the way as soon as Dusty knocks over a table, exclaiming that he will never be a traitor. A bar fight erupts and Xamot kicks an angry pool player and leaves with Tomax while Dusty continues to defend himself. Dusty returns home with a black eye, which alarms Ms. Vazquez, who explains that his mother is better but still needs medication and therapy. Dusty laments and promises to find the money somehow. He returns to headquarters and learns from Duke and Flint that the computer has analyzed the recent Cobra attacks and concluded that Cobra is trying to create a mind control gas and the Dylcon 98 in the Texas City chemical plant was the last component. Breaker, Rock 'n Roll, Stalker, Cover Girl, Ripcord, Wild Bill, Grunt, Gung-Ho listen to Duke and Flint also add that they have located the next target on Cobra's shopping list and that the information is top secret. Shipwreck jabs Dusty in the arm and jokes that he was simply going to walk over and offer the information to Cobra. But Dusty ignores his friend and thumbs the Extensive Enterprises card in his hand. ---- At a gas station, Dusty calls the phone number on the Extensive Enterprises business card and the Crimson Guard Commanders answer the phone. And Dusty explains that he wants to make a deal - information on the Joes' next ambush. Tomax and Xamot tell Dusty that if the information is good, then they will send a check out to his mother. The Joes wait in the bushes around a chemical plant and they watch Cobra paratroopers parachute into the trees. Surprised by Cobra's stupidity, the Joes run toward the Cobras and begin to crawl on the ground when they are under fire. Scarlett, Alpine, Blowtorch, Gung-Ho, Lady Jaye, Snake-Eyes, Roadblock, Shipwreck and Dusty follow Duke on the ground, however, Shipwreck stands up to rush toward the Cobras despite Dusty's warnings. A Cobra trooper falls out of the tree and surprises Shipwreck, but he quickly punches the Cobra and sparks fly out of the paratrooper's face. As the other Joes attack the Cobras, they quickly realize that they paratroopers are dummies. As Cobra transport helicopters fly away tankers of the Dylcon 98, Shipwreck throws his gun down in anger while Duke believes that there must be an inside source working for Cobra since the Joes' strategy was too well-planned. As Cover Girl, Snow Job, Grunt and several other Joes turn in their weapons, Lady Jaye watches Shipwreck pound a fist in the wall and listens to him promise to send the traitor down 20 fathoms into the sea or cover him in honey and bury him in an anthill. As he encounters Dusty on the steps of the building, Shipwreck asks him how he would punish the traitor, however, Dusty's mind is a million miles away. Flint enters Duke's darkened office, closes the door and learns that Duke has discovered from an unnamed source the identity of the traitor - "Dusty" Rudat. In order to gather proof that Dusty is the traitor, Duke and Flint allow Dusty to learn of an attack on a Cobra base in the Gulf of Mexico, which looks like an abandoned oil rig, by ordering him to move some crates in the war room. Dusty returns to the pay phone outside of the Joe base and calls Ms. Vasquez, who informs Dusty that the check was a big help, however, more bills continue to pour in. Dusty sighs and tells her that he will try to help. Pulling out the business card for Extensive Enterprises, Dusty calls the Crimson Guard Commanders, who are balancing on their desks with their heads on the tabletop. When they hear Dusty's voice, they flip off the desks, connect him to Cobra Commander and listen to Cobra's leader threaten him to get the secret armor formula or else Dusty will be exposed as a traitor, which would worsen his mother's condition. While Duke listens to Flint's disbelief that Dusty is a traitor, Deep Six radios that the oil rig look abandoned and dives underwater in the S.H.A.R.C. and tells the others, "Yo Joe, or words to that effect." He radios Duke that the Cobra submarines are not present. The Joes' Transportable Tactical Battle Platform is dropped in the water and the Joes parachute and swim to the Cobra base in order to examine the remains. Shipwreck, Duke and several other Joes enter the barracks of the base and Shipwreck learns that Cobra has a medical plan after picking up a copy of a Cobra magazine. But Duke pulls the magazine out of Shipwreck's hands and tells him to search the lower levels of the base. Deep Six and Shipwreck enter a dark room so Shipwreck flips the light switch, but the switch activates a spark that leads to a patch of explosives on the ceiling of a room filled with explosives. ---- They run out of the room and warn the others that the place is about to blow up. The Joes dive over the side of the oil rig and swim to the Battle Platform and Spirit and Flint learn from Gung-Ho that Duke was struck by debris and fell into the water; also, Shipwreck and Deep Six went underwater to find him. The oil rig collapses into the sea, but Shipwreck and Deep Six are able to drag Duke to the S.H.A.R.C. and fly to the Joes' Transportable Platform. The Joes cheer, however, their mirth is short-lived since Duke reveals that Dusty gave the plans to Cobra before Duke himself loses consciousness. Dusty, who is rummaging through a lab and taking snapshots, encounters Shipwreck's fist. After beating back Shipwreck, he knocks the Joe out with a chair, retrieves the Cobra spy camera and pulls Shipwreck out of the lab, which caught on fire due to chemicals overturned during Dusty and Shipwreck's fight. Flint, Spirit and Roadblock run up to a groggy Shipwreck, who explains that Dusty was after the secret armor formula, however, Lady Jaye is flying a helicopter overhead. She follows Dusty as he crushes through a chainlink fence and attempts to escape in a Mauler. But three missiles from Lady Jaye's Dragonfly cause the tank to turn onto its side. The Joes quickly surround Dusty's Mauler with Sluggers, V.A.M.P.s and Armadillo tanks and Dusty is captured. Cutter, Footloose, Clutch and several Joes in a court room listen to Flint state that Dusty has been silent during the entire trial and that if he has anything to say, now is the time. But Dusty shakes his head and explains that he has nothing to say in defense, and he hangs he head low. Because he has given aid to Cobra thus endangering his fellow Joes and jeopardizing the security of the United States, Flint tells Dusty that has been found guilty of treason and is sentenced to a hard labor for life at Fort Wadsworth military prison. Tomax and Xamot inform Cobra Commander that Dusty has been sentenced and Cobra Commander reacts unconcerned, but then changes his mind when he realizes that Dusty could be useful to Cobra, and he laughs and tells the Crimson Guard Commanders that they should help the "poor fellow." Dusty is led out of a shack in iron shackles and as he walks past his ex-teammates, Lady Jaye wonders what point Deep Six is dancing around as she explains that she can't believe Dusty is a traitor. Deep Six tells her that the entire situation is too simple since a real traitor wouldn't be so easy to catch. Snake Eyes, Stalker, Spirit, Rock 'n Roll, Torpedo, Grunt, Scarlett, Roadblock, Clutch, Ace, Alpine, Breaker, Snow Job, Wild Bill, Short-Fuse, Steeler and Mutt watch as Gung-Ho leads Dusty onto a bus. But Cobra F.A.N.G.s appear and destroy the guard tower. One of the F.A.N.G.s blows a hole in the roof of Dusty's prison transport bus and two Cobra agents pull Dusty out of the bus and into a Cobra transport helicopter. The Joes try to stop the escape, however, the F.A.N.G.s provide enough cover fire to allow the transport with Dusty to escape into the air. And the Joes stand stupefied and watch Dusty fly away with Cobra. (To be continued...) |Appearing1= Featured Characters Featured Vehicles & Equipment |MemorableQuotes1="I may be hard up - but I'm no traitor!" :--You tell 'em, Dusty! Tomax: "No, we are..." Xamot: "...Extensive Enterprises." Dusty: "Look, I don't talk to creeps who do business with Cobra. Take your--" Xamot (jabbing into Dusty's ribs a gun held under the table): "Don't you think your mother..." Tomax: "...has enough medical bills?" Xamot: "Why burden her..." Tomax: "...with funeral expenses as well? Yours!" "No, we're the dummies. Suckered by dolls firing lasers." :--They're not dolls, Duke, they're action figures! "Blast! If Dusty's joined Cobra, none of our secrets are safe." :--Other than everything that doesn't involve the desert, Flint. |Glitches1= |Errors1=*Dusty's last name on his filecard is "Tadur," not "Rudat". *Steeler, Grunt, and Clutch can be seen during Dusty's trial, even though they're still stuck in the alternate universe ruled by Cobra in "Worlds Without End." **The episode was produced prior to "Worlds Without End (Part II)" but shown out of production order. |ItemsOfNote1=*Dusty's mom calls him "Dusty" throughout the episode. **As do Mrs. Vazquez and Mr. Smiler. *The slide Flint shows during the briefing has lots of odd text, including "Special Edition" and "Motorcycle people enjoy sports." *Fort Wadsworth was the location of the Joes' original secret base in the Marvel comic. *In the "Now you know..." attached to this episode, Lady Jaye explains that a little creative problem-solving can prevent you from hurting yourself when facing an obstacle. |RealWorldRefs1=*The sign in the front of the chemical plant reads: "H.S. Thompson Pharmaceuticals." Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson was a notorious drug user. *The line about dolls with guns is similar to the complaints leveled against the show for being nothing more than a glorified half-hour commercial. |Footnotes= }} Category:Sunbow episodes Category:1985